"I think the best things about Mathieu on the pitch are obviously the way he covers the ground, technically he’s really good, he doesn't lose the ball [and] he plays it simple," he added.

"I remember when we were playing together in 2007 and 2008, and for me it was amazing as he was running so much and covering a lot of ground for me to be more free and go forward, and play more combination passes for the team.

"He’s one of the best partners I made in football in my career. We played very well and we combined very well."

Flamini also warned his Rossoneri team-mates of the threat posed by Lionel Messi, who he believes to be the finest footballer on the planet.

"Barcelona are one of the better teams in Europe, with a great way of playing," he continued. "They are a great team with many talented players. "I agree, [Messi] is the best, he deserves all of his Ballon d’Or awards. He’s the best player in the game right now."